In Memoriam
Posted in History, War Memorials at 08:00 on 1 July 2016
The Battle of the Somme began 100 years ago today. That first day saw the British Army suffer 57,470 casualties, its greatest ever one day loss in battle.* 19,240 of these were killed. Overall the battle (really a series of battles) lasted for four and a half months and resulted in 1.120-1.215 million casualties over both sides. Only the Russian Front battles of the Second World War were bloodier.
Like the Ypres Salient, the countryside where the battle(s) took place is dotted with Commonwealth War Cemeteries.
There is a particularly striking memorial at Newfoundland Memorial Park, Beaumont Hamel, in the form of a caribou.
The names of the British army dead who remained missing are engraved on the walls of the towering Memorial at Thiepval.
Visiting Thiepval is as sobering an experience as the Menin Gate.
The bagpipe tune below was composed by William Laurie who fought at the Somme. He was Pipe Major of the 8th Argyllshire Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Higlanders. He became ill as a result of trench conditions and died on Nov 28th 1916.
To all who fought:-
The Battle of the Somme
*More personnel (80,000) were lost by surrender at the Fall of Singapore in 1942.
Tags: Argyll and Sutherland Higlanders, Battle of the Somme, Beaumont Hamel, Fall of Singapore, First World War, Newfoundland Memorial Park, Pipe Major, Russian front, Second World War, the Great War, War Memorials, William Laurie, World War 1, World War 2, WW1, WW2, WWI, WWII